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It isn’t always easy to discover new trails on which you can mountain bike. This is in part because a lot of nature lovers aren’t very fond of the loud sounds and dangers associated with bikes, and so they need to be well segregated from other paths in order to be viable. Luckily, mountain biking is becoming a more popular sport, and new trails are being made to deal with the greater traffic. Here are a few of the newest mountain biking trails as of 2018.

Some of us consider Moab the mountain biking capital because you can find a new trail every year. If you’re lucky, you might even find a whole new network of trails. Have you been on the Rodeo Trail? It was completed in 2017, forming a loop near Chisholm trail. Much of the nine-mile ride is rated for beginners, so this is a good place to visit if you’re just starting out.

The 12-mile Wasatch Over Wasatch (WOW, not to be confused with WoW) is a great trail in Park City, Utah. The upkeep is phenomenal, which is why you won’t want to miss the WOW trail if you’re in the area. Not only that, but you’ll find yourself with great views of Mount Timpanogos, Snake Creek Canyon, and Cascade Peak. There are shuttles available to bring you there if you’re too lazy to, ya know, bike!

If you’ve never been to the artsy, weird town of Sedona, Arizona, then you’re missing out. You can find world-renowned vortexes here. That’s not your thing? Then check out the 27-mile Western Gateway trail system when it’s completed. Construction just started in Fall of 2018, but there are a number of other options already available, like Skywalker Loop.

Brevard, North Carolina is home to a great singletrack in Pisgah National Forest. If you’re looking for something newer or more technical, try Spencer Gap. There are also plans to connect other popular trails in the region in the coming years.

What better place to go mountain biking than a ski resort during summer months? Check out Sun Valley on Bald Mountain in Idaho, where you’ll find Trail 3. You can speed downhill for more than nine miles before you have the opportunity to stop. Hopefully that kind of rush is your thing!

Biking, whether on a stationary bike, cruising on the boardwalk, or mountain biking, is one of the only few exercises that simultaneously work out your muscles and work out your cardiovascular system.

Which Muscles Does Biking Impact?

There are several different muscle groups that taking a bike ride activates. The pedaling motion of riding a bike activates the following muscles groups:

quadraceps

hamstrings

calf muscles

hip flexors

guteus maximus

plantarflexors

dorsiflexors

If you are riding outdoor fand keeping your balance, the following muscles groups are activated to assist in support and stability:

abdominal muscles

arm muscles

chest and shoulder

back muscles

Benefits of Cardio-Vascular Exercise

As previously mentioned, biking also is a cardiovascular exercise. Cardiovascular refers to your heart and lungs. These are two very strong muscles that also need to be worked Cardiovascular exercise is important because it helps create stronger heart and lungs and has other benefits such as:

weight loss

higher bone density

reduced stress

relief from anxiety and depression

better sleep

more energy

reduced risk of heart disease

If you are looking for an exercise that can help tone your muscles as well as help your cardiovascular strength then consider biking. It doesn’t matter if you are on a stationary bike at the gym or using a mountain bike to explore the wild, the health benefits are clear.

For those who dare venture along the treacherous paths of a mountain biking trail, there is almost no greater adventure or sense of exhilaration than the winding turns and potential pitfalls that are but a taste of the very real dangers of the sport. Mountain bikers, practically by their very nature, seek out the most difficult trails that offer the greatest challenge, similar to skiers looking for the most challenging slopes along at a ski resort. But, how far do you need to go to find the extreme in mountain biking trails the world over? In some cases, they might actually be closer than you think.

Located in the Kitchener/Waterloo area of Ontario, Canada, the Hydrocut Trails are relatively simple for the experienced bikers, but still offer thrilling, fast rides through 25 kilometers of wooded area. Complimented by board walks, bridges, switchbacks and what they refer to as “armoured” walls, the Hydrocut rides fast on single lane trails in dry weather and even faster on slick clay surface after a generous rain. The only thing this trail misses are the heights and drops that might appeal to more extremist mountain bikers.

For those along the east coast of the United States, trekking to Wilkesboro, North Carolina might be worth the trip. Warrior Creek sports a scenic view of “out and back” North Carolina biking trails, including rock gardens and lake views. Similar to the Hydrocut, Warrior Creek also contains several bridge passes as well as in-slope turns to keep any mountain biker on their toes. Trail boss Jim Horton has dubbed it, “OVT on steroids.” And if the OVT on steroids isn’t enough for you, Warrior Creek is only a part of a more elaborate trail network that includes the OVT and Dark Mountain to round out the whole of Kerr Scott. And if that isn’t enough, the trail also hosts a 6-hour endurance challenge every year in the spring.

As if there weren’t enough reasons to visit the continent down under already, outside the city of Cairns lies the Smithfield Mountain Bike Park. One of the highest ranked rainforest trails in the world, Smithfield sports 60 kilometers of wilderness and technical riding that includes both short and long climbs as well as descents among a spread of over 700 kilometers of mountain biking trails around the city of Cairns in total. The trail was featured in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in both 2014 and 2016 as well as hosted the UCI World Mountain Bike Championship last year.

For one of the ultimate nature trails that offers a significant challenge, traveling to Benasque, Spain needs to be the hope of any enthusiastic mountain biker. El Gallinero is home to a 30 kilometer trail that features of natural sights to see, including high alpine trails and down-to-earth wooded areas. These trails include fast single track experiences as well as more technical areas with twists and turns to challenge even experienced bikers. Perhaps one of the more appealing long-term draws is that El Gallinero is also part of TrackMTB’s Big Montains Pyrenees Trip.

While we all love mountain biking here, it is important to know that our favorite activity comes with some serious downsides. You can take every precautionary measure in the world, but you can still end up with an injury that will have you off of the trails for weeks, months, or even years. A few months back, we posted a blog about three types of mountain biking injuries, but we felt like it was important to revisit the subject and give you a few more.

Since mountain biking involves high speeds, hard surfaces, and very little padding, the injuries sustained while biking are quite serious. While you can get some cuts and bruises from falling off of your bike, those are usually nothing compared to the serious injuries you can suffer from falling off at the wrong time.

Here are some of the top mountain biking injuries, and how you can prevent them:

Broken Bones

Broken bones can range from minor annoyances to serious injuries that threaten the structural integrity of your body. If you break a bone with enough force, it is within the realm of possibility that you could need to get serious surgery, even amputation if it is severe enough. While this is a very rare scenario, it is very important to note that if you think you broke a bone while biking, you need to get medical treatment right away. Do not let your injury fester while you can improve it with the help of a physician.

Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are some of the most serious injuries you can sustain while mountain biking. Falling off of a bike can cause your body to contort in ways that mess up your spinal alignment – this can give you a wide array of painful symptoms from minor back pain to total paralysis.

Concussions

Even if you are wearing a helmet, it is possible for you to suffer from a serious concussion after a bicycle accident. Since you are travelling at high speeds, the force from your body hitting the ground, a tree, or anything else can cause a serious concussion. Concussions can range from mild to life-altering, as serious cases can make you lose your memory and proper bodily functions.

Here is a video of someone getting injured on their mountain bike – please stay safe out there!

If you’re curious to learn more about the benefits of mountain biking, then this article is going to give you the key information you need. Keeping this in mind, let’s take a closer look.

Firstly, it’s safe to say that mountain biking can be a fun and invigorating hobby that does wonders for your general health and fitness. In particular, it is very good for your cardiovascular fitness as well as your general heart health, and you will certainly notice that regular cycling of any sort will quickly improve your endurance levels.

Of course, having fun and exciting hobbies is also a key part of enjoying life, and any keen mountain biker will tell you how fun it can be to tackle a new trail or simply enjoy a bike ride in an off-road environment. In fact, for some keen mountain bikers, the activity can be considered a form of meditation that keeps you in the present moment and enhances your coordination whenever you are dealing with a difficult part of the trail.

Something else that’s worth bearing in mind is that mountain biking isn’t just an exercise for your calves and thighs, but it can also be considered a full body workout as well. In most cases, you will feel the ache in your abdominal and core muscles as well as your shoulders and arms, particularly if you have been tackling a tough route for several hours and more.

Finally, many people find mountain biking to be a very social hobby, and it’s certainly fun to head out on the track with your friends or family coming along for the ride. Ultimately, this activity allows you to have a fun, social hobby that’ll work wonders for your general happiness, and it also allows you to get out in nature and enjoy some breathtaking views that only a true mountain biker will ever have the opportunity to experience.

Mountain biking isn’t always what it sounds like. For the most part, the people who buy mountain bikes are rational, sane people who are just looking for a simple and fun off-road experience and have no desire to ride up and down a steep vertical incline, even if the bikes themselves are specifically designed for durability and to increase performance in a variety of rugged landscapes. Some people like to take things literally, though, and those are the people who are most familiar with the death-defying Red Bull Hardline.

The Red Bull Hardline is considered one of the most difficult mountain bike races in the world. The competition plays out in the rough hills of the Dyfi Valley of Wales, and is going on its fourth straight year. If mountain bike races weren’t scary enough, the Red Bull Hardline actually launches competitors over the heads of their spectators in a fifty foot leap from the side of a mountain. It might be said that this race isn’t for the faint of heart, but then again many more might say it’s only for the clinically insane.

Even so, these tough maneuvers are the very focal point of the race. Creator Dan Atherton wanted to create a course that pushed those who loved the sport, and so he did. Not only did he manage to conceive a race that is widely considered one of the toughest, but he also played a huge role in bolstering the number of people who participate or spectate. When things get dangerous, they also become more popular. It’s like a rule.

There might be a lot of people willing to give this gauntlet a try, but only twenty of the best riders in the world are afforded the opportunity. Red Bull TV both sponsors and broadcasts the event in order to promote the sport to as many people as possible.

For those unfamiliar with the practice, mountain bike racing (or MTB/ATB racing) was recognized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (or UCI) in 1990, even after the premiere UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in 1998. The World Cup consisted of nine races and took riders to Europe and North America in order to experience and race in some of the toughest terrains in the world. By 1996, MTB racing as a sport became a part of the Olympic Games. The sport’s popularity has only grown since then. Since 2006, MTB racing is even encompassed in the World Deaf Cycling Championships.

There are a number of different types of racing, with different rules and regulations and disciplines assigned to each. These include cross-country, downhill, Super D, freeride, four cross, dirt jumping, marathon, and more. The Red Bull Hardline, naturally, is a downhill race.

There are many famous individuals that we look up to and admire. But just how many come from the European country of Spain? In this article, we will talk about a few of the famous people that hail from Spain.

1. Antonio Banderas

One of the most famous Spanish faces that we know and love is that of Antonio Banderas. Antonio was a soccer player until he broke his foot at the age of 14. As an actor, he has played in such iconic films as The Mask of Zorro, Evita, and Desperado. Antonio Banderas hails from Malaga, Spain.

A beautiful face that we all know belongs to actress Penelope Cruz, who hails from Madrid, Spain. She not only works in the film industry but has done work as a model. She is known for her work in films such as Vanilla Sky and Blow. Penelope is married to Javier Bardem, another famous actor who comes from Spain.

3. Enrique Iglesias

The third famous person from Spain that is on our list is Enrique Iglesias, a highly talented Spanish singer. Enrique is also from Madrid. He has sold over 159 million records worldwide during his career, and over 150 number one hits over all Billboard charts. Thus, he is one of the most successful Spanish artists of all time.

4. Placido Domingo

The last famous Spanish individual we will mention is Placido Domingo, who hails from Madrid. He is a Spanish tenor and conductor. He is known for his versatility and has recorded over one hundred operas.

In conclusion, Hollywood is full of many individuals who hail from all over the world, including the fantastic European country of Spain. Those whom we mentioned in this article are truly talented, and we are so glad that we have been able to enjoy their work.

There is a good chance that you’ve heard someone say the phrase it’s like riding a bike. This means that something is easy to remember, and becomes second nature once you do it a few times.

What those people don’t understand, however, that there is so much more to biking than meandering down the street with your buddies. Biking has a thriving community in so many different places, from racing to doing tricks, and all the way to mountain biking. The Tommaso Imola makes mountain biking an affordable reality, which has really opened up a new world for us.

Mountain biking is one of the best ways to stay in shape, see the world, and have a great time while doing it. For all of the adrenaline junkies out there, you do not know what you are missing until you start mountain biking. There are an infinite amount of places in this world that seem like they were designed for mountain biking, from the deserts of Arizona to the woods of Oregon.

The bike we have been using recently, the Tommaso Imola, is perfect for mountain bikers who want to succeed in multiple types of terrain at a great price. At about half the price of most bikes, the Tommaso Imola lets us spend our money getting to new locations to bike, and food to eat while we’re on the road!

Another great thing about mountain biking is that it is such a broad sport that there is no limit on the possibilities in store for those deciding to pick up mountain biking. Since all you need is a bike and somewhere to ride, you can have fun mountain biking wherever there is a bit of nature to explore. Compare this to sports like basketball or baseball, where you need a whole list of things to make playing the game possible.

Mountain biking is amazing because it not only keeps us in shape, it inspires us to go out and do something instead of staying inside. There are a ton of hobbies that support a dormant lifestyle, from videogames to cooking. If you mountain bike, it is a way to get out for an entire weekend and exercise, explore nature, and get to know the people around you in a new environment.

While it is not by any means necessary, combining mountain biking with camping is one of our favorite vacations. If you scope out a big enough area, you can truly check out from reality for a few days and get to know parts of the world you might not be able to explore without a bike. As we said before, getting a cheap bike like the Tommaso Imola will allow you to spend more money on other aspects of your mountain biking journey!

With all of that in mind, we would like to formally welcome you to our website. This will be dedicated to everything related to mountain biking and our adventures through Spain. Thanks to our wonderful Tommaso Imolas, we will be biking for years to come!

You would be surprised as to how many people purchase cheap mountain bikes from a superstore like Walmart, not even do so much as having an inspection done by a professional bike servicer, and then take their bike out that very first day. Of course, it is understandable why someone would rather purchase their mountain bike at a place like Walmart instead of a dedicated bike shop. Bikes from a superstore can be found for as little as one hundred and thirty dollars. On the contrary, any respectable adult mountain bike is going to cost you at least $750 and very likely over one thousand dollars. So there is certainly something to be gained by going the cheap route when purchasing your mountain bike. But at the very least, even if it costs you a few pennies, get your bike inspected and tuned by a professional before you hit the road with it.